Whether done with a rug, paint, or the flooring material itself; striped floors bring high impact visuals to the kitchen:
When done on hardwood floors, the stripes can follow the planks of wood. It's a great idea for a coverup over floors that are less than perfect. Rugs are an easier, quicker and reversible way to add stripes. And stripes that are integral to the flooring material (as in the linoleum used in the Design*Sponge floor) are the most permanent of all for the bravest of stripe-lovers out there.
Related: Look! Faux Bois Floors in the Kitchen
(Images: Ashe + Leandro, Design*Sponge, via Brown Button, House Beautiful via Apartment Therapy, DecorPad)
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Monterey Pitcher fr...
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
These just give me a headache. I'd go mad if I had to live and work in a space with stripes like that.
i wonder if my landlord would have my head on a plate for doing this to our kitchen. i HATE our linoleum.
..::the wheels are turning in my head::..
@ alphaville, you could always choose colours with less contrast than black and white. i'm painting over the linoleum in my kitchen this summer with white and light grey stripes.
@thekatpack -- my problem is the pattern itself. I'm a migraneur, so the mere contrast of light and dark so closely together is the issue.
That said, white and light grey seems like it will be very understated; I hope your project comes out well!